The Taipei International Food Show 2014 kicked off at Nangang Exhibition Hall between June 25 and 28. As one of the exhibitors, the Council of Agriculture (COA) focused on “health, safety, LOHAS” and emphasized “excellent and fresh food made in Taiwan.” This year, the COA selected 88 high quality companies to join the “Taiwan Pavilion,” hoping to establish a domestic and oversea exchange platform through this annual international exhibition. It aims to highlight Taiwan’s local agricultural brands and competitiveness, then further increasing Taiwan’s agricultural products sale to the world market.

Uplift Taiwan’s agricultural brands

　In order to strengthen international competitiveness of Taiwan’s agricultural products, the COA assists exporting firms every year in many ways, such as establishing explicit brand strategies and brand images with stories, juxtaposing multi-brand marketing techniques and management systems, integrating overall and consistent packaging designs,  and conveying the health, safety and excellent quality of agricultural products in a humane approach. All of these contribute to market’s differentiation and uniqueness.

This year, Taiwan Pavilion particularly highlighted the new “Branding Agriculture Area.” Different from the past, the firms that used to accept branding assistance program are no longer placed in scattered areas. Instead, the 10 firms receiving assistance services in 2013 were presented to consumers in the same area this year. More than that, information about the 14 firms, which had joined branding assistance program previously and exhibited in agricultural, livestock and extensive areas respectively this year, was disclosed on the main stage. In the Branding Agriculture Area, Fu Che has enjoyed a significant annual growth between 30% and 50% since receiving assistance in 2009. Its “Foo’s Kitchen” series products were immediately sold out as on sale at Costco in February. Another example, Hsin Lung Food, has increased its annual turnover from NT$6 million in the beginning to NT$20 million after receiving assistance in 2009, and even to NT$200 million this year. Obviously those assisted firms utilize their brands to communicate with the market, enhancing consumers’ willingness of purchase. This also helps them stand out on the global market.

Excellent and fresh food made in Taiwan invited consumers to visit Taiwan Pavilion

This year’s “Taiwan Pavilion” presented a collection of high-quality agricultural products from all over Taiwan, which are famous for their safety and local production. Many domestic and foreign buyers and consumers were invited to test these excellent Taiwan foods. The exhibition areas were divided into 7 areas, including main stage, branding agriculture, agricultural products, forest, fishery, livestock and prepared food. Moreover, the exhibition areas of Taiwan Frozen Seafood Industries Association and Taiwan Frozen Meat Packers Association were included as the extensive area of Taiwan Pavilion. The main stage simultaneously introduced Certification of Origin, Certified Agricultural Standards (CAS), Traceable Agricultural Products (TAP), Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) and CAS Organic. It is expected to continue promoting branding awareness and business opportunities for Taiwan’s certified products in the domestic and global markets in the future.

　In this four-day exhibition, Taiwan Pavilion prepared many creative programs and topics, invited well-known chefs, scholars, nutritionists and shopping experts (such as Tsai, Ji-fang, Lin, Mei-hui, Weng, Mao-an and shopping queen Si, Rong) with a view to successfully construct a communication bridge between consumers and firms. In addition, in the time of “introduction to good stuff” every day, participating firms grasped this opportunity to recommend their own quality products to everyone!

　In June’s pre-show press conference, the COA specially invited Wen, Guo-zhi, nicknamed as “master of Taiwan cuisine” and nominated as one of the 51-session Ten Outstanding Young Persons in 2013, to design several creative cuisines with TGA-brand Taiwan agricultural materials on the spot.

　The COA also cordially invited professional purchasers as well as domestic and international media and people to pay a visit to Taiwan Pavilion in the “Taipei International Food Show 2014” to promote domestic agricultural products to the domestic and foreign countries’ consumers.